Fog Monster helps Thunder stop Dogs

(Portland, ME) – The Trenton Thunder (28-18) used timely hitting, good pitching and a little help from Mother Nature to win their eighth straight game, a fog-shortened 4-2 victory over the Portland Sea Dogs (13-31) Friday night in Portland, Maine. Damon Sublett and Austin Romine both drove in runs for Trenton before the game was called in the bottom of the seventh due to thick fog rolling through Hadlock Field.

Looking to get some early runs for their starting pitcher Manny Banuelos, the Thunder would strike in the top of the second. With Jose Pirela at second base, Damon Sublett lined a triple over the head of Sea Dog centerfielder Jeremy Hazelbaker, scoring Pirela to give the Thunder a 1-0 lead. Sublett scored a batter later on a Stolmy Pimentel wild pitch, giving Trenton the 2-0 advantage.

In a 3-2 ballgame in the top of the seventh, the Thunder found themselves in need of some insurance runs. With two outs and Ray Kruml at second, Austin Romine roped a double to right-centerfield to score Kruml and give the Thunder a 4-2 lead.

That 4-2 tally would end up being the final score as the fog that had been rolling through Hadlock Field since the fifth inning thickened to the point that the two teams could not continue the contest. The game was delayed thirty minutes before it was eventually called due to the fog.

Manny Banuelos notched his second win of the season for the Thunder as he hurled five innings and gave up just two runs. Grant Duff, who was in the midst of his second inning of relief when the game was called, was rewarded the save.

The Thunder continue their four-day, five-game Memorial Day weekend series with the Portland Sea Dogs at Hadlock Field Saturday at 1:00 PM for the first game of a doubleheader (two seven inning games). Trenton’s LHP Kei Igawa (2-1, 2.79) will face Portland’s RHP Stephen Fife (5-2, 2.41) in game one. Game two will see the Thunder’s RHP Cory Arbiso (3-1, 4.03) oppose the Sea Dog’s RHP Jeremy Kehrt (0-0, 4.03)